Of Love and Friendship
by Tarafina
Summary: Chloe Sullivan grew up in Star City with high hopes of becoming a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter, but destiny has other plans. Finding a best friend in billionaire Oliver Queen, their lives intersect and take them on a journey neither of them expected.
1. Prologue

**Title**: Of Love and Friendship  
**Category**: Smallville  
**Genre**: Friendship/Romance/Humor/Action/Drama  
**Ship**: Chloe/Oliver  
**Rating**: NC17  
**Word Count**: 2,196  
**Summary**: (AU) Chloe Sullivan grew up in Star City, California and with high hopes of becoming a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter, destiny has other plans. Finding a best friend in billionaire Oliver Queen, their lives intersect and take them on a journey neither of them ever expected.

**_Of Love and Friendship_**

_-Prologue_-

Chloe Ann Sullivan, intrepid reporter for the Star City Gazette, had the kind of life many would dream of. On the outside, it might appear that she was just a regular Joe, hard at work for her next article, living out a dream she'd had since she was just a child. But behind the scenes, her life became that much more interesting. Since the enlightening age of twenty, she had been the backbone of a secret society, a League of heroes that fought the good fight and brought justice to those who deserved it. But it hadn't all come together easily, like a gift on Christmas with a pretty bow on top. No.

Chloe's life was anything but ordinary. When she was just twelve years old her father had been fired from Luthcorp, a multibillion dollar company that was cutting costs and relieving some of its lesser employees. Living in a cramped apartment in Metropolis, Gabe Sullivan didn't know what to do. He'd been working for the Luthors for so long, he really hadn't given thought to a backup plan should he ever lose his job. But it was clearly in the cards that he not be so easily forgotten about in the business savvy world he'd been in most of his life. Before he could begin packing boxes for him and his young daughter to move in with his sister for a short time, someone had come calling. A young businessman who worked for Queen Industries had offered him a position at Luthorcorp's rival company and with a small pay raise and the comfort of knowing he and his daughter would be back on track after a move, he accepted.

Chloe wasn't so overwhelmed with gratitude. Instead, she took an instant disliking to all things Luthor-related and it was with fervor that she kept herself well informed on the happenings of both Lionel and his son Lex. Leaving her favored Metropolis for that of Star City wasn't a welcomed move and she made sure her dad knew it. But when she entered junior high and found they had a newspaper, some of her ire had dimmed. Writing was Chloe's passion and the curiosity that plagued her since she was but a young girl had never quite waned. So it wasn't surprising that while Gabe was working hard at Queen Industries, Chloe was gallivanting around in other people's business, learning all she could about those around her.

It was Lex Luthor that introduced her to the world of weird. Keeping an eye on him and his many interesting indiscretions led Chloe on an interesting path. Having never been to Smallville, living her life a few hours away in Metropolis' bevy of activity, she hadn't taken much interest in the small farm town. But when Lex began investigating various hijinx involving high school kids, she was fascinated. Following his files, she learned that Clark Kent, a local farmboy, was of supreme interest to Lex, and it was with a hefty dose of malice that she occasionally deleted or played with his many files on the Kent kid if just for the joy of getting in Luthor's way. It was a small victory, really. Her father hadn't deserved to be thrust out of the business just because they wanted more money; he'd been working his butt for them since before Chloe was born. However, the more she learned about the Luthors the deeper she became in their puzzling and oftentimes troubled life. From afar, she learned of Lex's dark ways as they grew and worsened while his father appeared to be taking the opposite approach.

Safe in Star City, she was rather happy in some sense that her dad hadn't stayed on working for Luthorcorp, not when she realized just how far down the rabbit hole they were willing to go. Still, she wasn't one to watch them tear the world asunder for their own God-like tendencies and so she kept watch over them while going on living her own life. When and if she could, she sent what she knew to the authorities, hoping they might foil the father-son-duo in whatever malicious plan they had next.

When she wasn't tracking the Luthors or writing up her next article for her school newspaper, she was like any other kid. Except she didn't have many friends and her reputation as a snoop made her less than popular in some people's eyes. However, she wasn't one to be put off by peer pressure or social etiquette and so she went on in the lifestyle she'd gained for herself and was comforted in the idea that one day all of her hard work would pay. She would be a Pulitzer Prize winning investigative reporter; she could feel it in her gut.

Upon graduation, she gained entry into Star City University and immediately absorbed herself in all things journalism. She managed a low-entry internship at the Star City Gazette and was well on her way to reaching her dream. Which was when, of course, life threw something of a curveball at her. Thankfully, however, it wasn't what she would label as unwanted. Getting into danger wasn't a stranger of hers; in fact, chasing a story led to a few too many near-death experiences to be called normal. But when she met the handsome figure he cut, she hadn't really been expecting anything.

She hadn't seen him since she was twelve, and back then he hadn't been half as good looking or charming. But when he swept up to her in the Star City General Hospital gala, she found the kind of friend she'd been looking for.

His brow furrowed, a curiosity in his eyes she knew all too well. With a smile that would no double melt the panties off every other woman in the room, he asked, "Do I know you?"

She snorted. "Really? That's all you've got?" Cocking a brow she shook her head in mock disappointment. "With your reputation, I expected better."

His grin turned amused. "Flattered as I am that you assume this is a social call, in all honesty you look very familiar."

Deciding to let him off the hook, she shrugged lightly. "Chloe Sullivan. You employ my dad, Gabe."

He nodded slowly, absorbing what little she'd given him. "So we've met?"

"Briefly." She rolled her eyes to herself. "So long ago bellbottoms were coming back into style."

"Right," he murmured thoughtfully, before motioning to her. "Well, you've certainly grown up."

Smiling wryly, she lifted a brow. "Yeah, it's been widely proven that happens over a ten year period." Scrunching up her nose, she offered, "Must have something to do with puberty…"

Laughing, he shook his head. "Should I back away slowly before I embarrass myself further?"

"Unless you're masochistic, most would." She offered him a playful smile. "If it helps, you've lasted longer than most."

Holding a hand to his chest, he massaged where his heart may be. "That uplifts my ego a little, actually."

"Should I be thankful or worried?" she volleyed back wonderingly.

Easily, he returned, "You won't know until it's too late."

She relaxed some, trading banter was something she had earned her pro badge in over the years. Standing in the middle of social chaos in a gown that cost her entirely too much was not her forte and she rather despised that she'd been forced into it by her editor. "_You'll eat some shrimp, have a glass of champagne, what'll it hurt, Sullivan? You see anything of interest, go after it and don't let me down._" So far, all she'd seen was a senator drink too much wine and his cougar wife hanging herself off anybody available. Not exactly front page news, in her opinion.

"Before you pour your heart out or attempt anything resembling a come on, you should know I'm a reporter," she warned, looking up at the handsome man in front of her.

He nodded thoughtfully, pursing his lips. "See, that leaves me in a confusing predicament…"

Her brows furrowed. "How's that?"

"Well, if you were the type of reporter I should avoid, you never would have warned me… All the same, I have heard that soul-sucking reporters are incredibly intelligent so this _could _just be a ploy of yours."

She snorted, laughing under her breath. "Sounds like you have some thinking to do."

"I'm quick on my feet," he assured with a shrug. "Besides, you're the only person in here who hasn't done all you could to get anywhere near my personal space. So currently, that makes you the only person I'm willing to stand near."

"For fear of those beautiful women wanting a night with you alone?" she asked wryly, looking at the many women all watching him with salivating interest.

"Maybe if all my interest is on _one _beautiful woman, the rest will take the hint," he suggested, smirking.

She looked up at him, unfazed. "Much as I enjoy rescuing poor, defenseless billionaires from the wiles of young women, I'm here for work, so you'll have to excuse me if I don't feel up to playing sidekick to your chastity belt."

His grin, if possible, grew larger. "If not sidekick, why not just entertain me a little while longer with that dry wit of yours?"

She frowned, not sure if she really wanted to hang around with somebody who was already garnering entirely too much attention.

"Come on… Reporter or not, nothing appears to be calling your curious nature. What's a few minutes spent making a new friend?"

He was good, she decided. He had that soothing type voice that made a person doubt themselves and put all their trust in him. And it wasn't as if her alarm bells were ringing; she just hadn't felt like being booby prize for Star City's regular playboy. But what was wrong with giving a friendship a try? The closest thing she had to a friend was her cousin Lois, and she was living all the way over in Metropolis, currently working for The Inquisitor. Late night phone calls aside, she kept herself busy with school and work so making friends wasn't high on the list. Or at least she told herself that. Most people didn't want to get close to anybody willing to go digging to deep into their background and the intensity with which Chloe put into most everything kept the others at bay. Was it her fault she knew what she wanted and wasn't going to let anything get in the way?

"Fine," she agreed though leery with the idea. "But if at any point I feel like I'm playing wingman, things will not turn out well for you."

Smirking, he nodded obligingly.

And that was the night it all changed. Oliver Queen met Chloe Sullivan and though tentative at first, a friendship had begun. The rest of the evening had been spent in a battle of wits, discussing everything from politics to the latest in ugly fashions roaming the room. Standing on the outside, she was actually comfortable looking in for the first time. Because now, she had somebody to share her scathing, if not funny, remarks with. He could've gone out and enjoyed himself, getting caught up in whatever those around them might want to discuss. But instead, he stuck around and he gave as good as he got, returning each of her snarky jabs with barbs of his own. By the end of the night, she was flushed with amusement and found she'd actually really enjoyed herself. From there, he asked if she'd like to meet him for coffee some time and after an exchange of business cards, they were well on their way to a long lasting friendship.

What began that night would not only be two acquaintances reconnecting, or two people more comfortable on the outside entering the in, but of two people with a future of legendary proportions starting them on their journey. Where once Oliver would had lived a life of solitude, only allowing people within arm's reach, he would open himself up and lay all of himself out on the table. And where Chloe had previously put all of her undivided attention on her career, deciding that outside relationships were best kept to sources, she would learn to let down her walls and welcome a friendly face. And as their friendship grew, so would their destinies. A path was forged and with the tools at their disposal, the resources between them, the world would soon be met with a powerful force. In work and play, they would find that what they'd sought in life was but a pittance of what they could and would do. And from the strongest of friendships would grow the deepest of loves.


	2. Continuation News

Like my other NC17 stories, the continuation of "_Of Love and Friendship_," can be found on my LiveJournal (the link to which is in my profile!

As of now, chapter one has been added.


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